SUMMER SPORT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 249, 19 September 1929, Page 2

SUMMER SPORT

CRICKET IN MANAWATU.

NEW SEASON’S PROSPECTS,

In the annual report to be presented at the meeting of delegates to the Mana-w-atu Cricket Association, the following mtorcsting' review of the past season s activities is given:—"The season opened on 3rd November and as a whole the weather conditions throughout were good wun tlio exception of those prevailing during the first Hawko Cup match with Hawke s Bay. The usual senior, junior and tniro grade competitions were conducted, the respective winners being: —Senior, Palmerston; junior, Rongotea; third grade, Albion. The senior club batting averag , which carries with it the Justice and Edmunds Cup, was annexed by Mr L. 1 acey of the Old Boys’ Club, with an. average of 53.7. Mr N. Gallichan, of the Palmerston Club, secured the best bowling av age with 43 wickets for 7.3 runs apiece. Xno general form displayed in all grade was quite up to the standard of previous years. REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES.

'‘ln all, Manawatu participated in eight representative games, proving victorious in five, drawing two and losing one. in victories were secured against Feuding, Horowhenua, Wairarapa, Nelson, and Victoria College, the drawn games being played with Hawke’s Bay and Feuding, whilst the only loss sustained was at the hands of Horowhenua at Levin. A Manawatu team also played a match with the Wellington Mercantile League at Easter, proving victorious. In the representative fixtures including the Hawk-e Cup matches-, Manawatu scored 2625 runs for the loss of 85 wickets, an average of 30.88 per wicket. Their opponents scored 1685 run 3 with a loss of 103 wickets; average 16.3. It is pleasjng to note that the best bowling and batting averages in the re aentntive fixtures wore carried off by Mr A. C. McVicar, whoso ability to score runs and tako wickets shows no falling oft. HAWKE CUP. Three Hawke Cup challerigo matches were played during the season. The first against Hawke’s Bay at Christmas time was finally abandoned owing to the bad weather at a period when tlio local team was in practically a winning position. Ihe match against Wairarapa resulted in a win for the local representatives by an innings and 20 runs. The Nelson team visited Palmerston North at Easter m search of the trophy, but the game resulted in a win for Manawatu by six wickets. The match with Rangitikei was not commenced, rain falling steadily on the days set down for the match. An outstanding batting feature during the rcpresentetive fixtures was that of Mr H. Baumber the Horowhenua representative in the Manawatu team, who scored a. brilliant 162 in the Hawke Cup match against Wairarapa. So far as public support is concerned, very little interest is taken by the P“ lio in the Hawke Cup matches and tins is confirmed by the fact that all challenge games played to date have resulted in a financial loss to the association. GROUND FEES.

“Your committee would once again draw attention to the fact.that there is a laxity shown by certain clubs in paying their fees. Even at the present time an amount of £lO 8s is outstanding from last season and it seems that it will bo impossible to collect this. Despite persistent applications to this club in particular, no, response has been forthcoming. Clubs must, of course, understand that fees levied by the association are only sufficient to cover our expenses in connection with the maintenance of grounds, etc., and that the association docs not expect to make any profit on the year’s working out of the clubs affiliated to it. It is, therefore, essential in order that our finances may be placed, on a satisfactory footing that these levies be paid promptly when demanded by the association. It is your committee s intention to recommend to the incoming committee that they refuse to accept nominations from one of last year s _ junior clubs, which is in arrears with its fees. The association commenced the season with a debit balance of. £8 11s 3d and concluded with a debit balance of £66 10s 7d. This position is accreditable to the fact that half our guarantee for the English tour next year has been paid.

GENERAL MATTERS.

“Since the close of the season your managing committee has been negotiating with tho Feilding Sub-Association with the object of seeing if it could be arranged that Feilding enter either one or two teams for the senior competitions m Palmerston North. It is folt that the infusion of now blood would not only be beneficial to tho Feilding players, but would further stimulate the growing interest m the local senior competitions. A denutation consisting of Messrs. Ongley, Miller and Gallichan put the matter before the Feilding -Sub-Association who in duo course called a meeting of cricketers, at which meeting it was decided that the time was not considered propitious to enter into the Manawatu Association’s proposal. , “Another matter that will engage the attention of the incoming committee is that the association proposes to endeavour to obtain the right to dispense afternoon tea on the Sportsground. Up to the present these rights have been held by the party holding the lease of the kiosk at the Esplanade, if we can make arrangements to supply afternoon tea on the sportsgrounds it is proposed to 6eek the co-opera-tion of the clubs in ordor that tea may be procurable both for the publio and players alike at a nominal charge each Saturday afternoon. It is proposed that the association will find a certain portion of tho afternoon tea and that the clubs in turn will arrange for tho lady supporters to attend to the dispensing of it. We look to this innovation to be a means not only of interesting others in cricket, but also in eventually becoming a source of added revenue to tho association’s funds. “Another matter which requires consideration by the incoming committee is the formation, if possible, of an Umpires’ Association. It is not a satisfactory thing that players participating in the senior games should ako be called upon to take up these onerous duties. An endeavour was made last year to interest a number of players who have retired from the game to come back and assist, but only moderate success was met with. A further endeavour will bo made to form an Umpires’ Association this season. Whilst dealing with this subject the committee wish to express their keen appreciation of the services of Messrs A. E. Mansford, G. Greer and Lange (Feilding) who officiated in our Representative and Hawke Cup matches. These three gentlemen, _ in fulfilling their duties, gave every satisfaction both to players and publlb alike. • , ENGLISH ELEVEN. “During the coming season the association will probably have a busy time in front of it. We have been allotted a match against the English team who will play • here on Friday and Saturday, 14th and 15th January. In connection with this game the local association has been called upon to find the sum of £l25 —its share of the guarantee—which amount i 3 to bo paid forthwith. The players and publio will therefore realise that the association must'look to their support-in order to recoup itself for the amount of tho guarantee and it •is hoped that in our Hawke Cup matches and the match against the English team during the ooming season, we will have no reason to complain of the support given us by the public. * .“No report of my committee would be complete without special reference being made to the services rendered to the game by the Press. As a committee we have at all times found the nowspapers most willing to give publicity to the game played under our control and we would place on record our keen appreciation of the fair and generous treatment received from the newspapers, especially thanking their reporters for their interest in tho good game.”